"My precious child, hurry up and get up. Let your maternal grandmother take a good look at you!" Cui Shi could not care about anything else. She hurried forward and helped Wen Jiu to her feet.
Only then did Wen Jiu raise her eyes to look at the kindly old woman before her. The old woman lacked the flashy garments and pearl hairpins of the Prime Minister's Estate, yet she exuded an effortless grace and dignity. Lines of happiness etched the corners of her eyes, and her hair was threaded with silver. She wore delicate jade earrings, and her purple gown lent her an air of gentle harmony.
Beside her, the Old General still carried the stern, razor-sharp aura forged in bloody battles—an oppressive presence that made people shiver with dread. Yet he was as neat as an old scholar, dressed in dark gray satin without any embroidered patterns. The jade belt around his waist had clearly been made by Old Madam's own hands; the edges showed the wear of countless washings, yet he still wore it, proving how deeply he treasured it.
The elderly couple froze for a moment, as if they saw their own daughter returning to them. Their eyes inevitably grew mistful.
"Grandfather."
"Get up quickly. Your maternal grandmother and I are back. No one will ever bully you again; we are here to handle everything. Your two uncles are back this time, too."
"Yes." Wen Jiu knew practically nothing about her maternal family and had only managed to find out about them after returning. The Old General had a total of four children: three uncles and a single daughter, her mother, whom they had cherished dearly. Why, then, had they never once returned after her mother's death?
The Old General wanted to pull her into an embrace, but fearing he might startle her, he changed it to a pat on the shoulder. Unfortunately, he misjudged his strength. Wen Jiu did not deliberately brace herself, and the force sent her stumbling heavily. Xuanling quickly steadied her, crying out, "Miss!"
"What are you doing? Do you have any idea how heavy-handed you are? I heard she was injured a few days ago, and you—you—you... are you trying to scare me to death?" Cui Shi pointed straight at his nose and scolded him. The Old General didn't dare utter a single sound.
He simply lowered his head and looked at his own hand, seemingly filled with regret.
"Grandmother, I'm fine. I was just lost in thought and tripped over my own feet. Grandfather, I'm truly all right; I'm completely healed," Wen Jiu quickly intervened, looking at the God of War-like Old General who now resembled a child who had done something wrong. Otherwise, judging by her grandmother's stance, the scoldings were only going to continue.
"My darling, you don't need to make excuses for him. He's a rough brute who spends his days dealing with the wild monkeys in the military camp. How could someone as delicate as you possibly withstand—I..."
*Gurgle.*
Wen Jiu's stomach picked a most inopportune moment to growl.
"Someone come, bring out our finest wine and best dishes! You there, go to the kitchens and find out what your young mistress usually likes to eat, and bring some pastries over first!" The Old General hurriedly ordered Xuanling.
"Grandfather, I'm not a picky eater. Anything is fine."
"That's right, Old General. Miss isn't picky. She eats whatever is there." Yet it was precisely Xuanling's words that caused the elderly couple to pause. They looked again at Wen Jiu's attire—this was hardly how the legitimate daughter of a Prime Minister should dress. Furthermore, there wasn't an ounce of excess flesh on her entire frame. Clearly, a legitimate daughter had spent over a decade suffering through hardship. If not for... if not for him—they—he had promised to look after their granddaughter, and the general would have fought his way back no matter the cost. Besides, that old man hadn't written a letter in ages.
"Bring out the heavy meats and rich dishes—all the most nourishing ones, immediately! Close the gates; we will see no visitors today!" the Old General commanded, and the servants hurried to carry out his orders.
"My good, precious child, you've suffered so much. Do you blame us? When your mother passed away, we didn't return. When you were sent away, we didn't come back either, nor did we take your brother with us. You..."
"Grandmother, I don't blame you. I'm certain that when my mother passed away, you must have been hurting more than anyone else. You were simply tied down by circumstances, or perhaps someone didn't want you to return. I understand everything." Wen Jiu truly understood. Having transmigrated here, she felt no emotional resonance with the original owner, and this was her first time meeting her maternal family. Long ago, she had grown indifferent to all the bonds of this mortal world, including familial love.
"Child, hearing you say those words brings me great comfort. Yet in the dead of night, in my dreams, I still see your mother crying and pouring her heart out to me. Since you're back now, you aren't going back. Your second uncle's family has already grown used to life out there."
Hearing Wen Jiu's words, the Old General instantly lowered his head. That dignified and virtuous daughter of his—she could not possibly have died of an illness. He had sent men to make covert inquiries, only to be told that the Prime Minister's Estate had buried her in haste. If there weren't ghosts in this, what was?
Yet those hateful civil and military officials had actually submitted a joint memorial claiming there were disturbances in the Northwest and that he could not return, lest the morale of the army be thrown into utter chaos. Chaos my foot! Those bastards simply didn't want them to return to give their daughter a final farewell. He had carved that into his memory, which was why he didn't give a damn about some worthless palace banquet; it was far better to stay home and keep his wife and little... precious child company over a meal.
"Grandfather, Old Madam, luncheon is prepared."
"Let's go, my darling. Eat well, eat your fill. We'll have the kitchens prepare a proper supper later when your two uncles get back."
"..."
Wen Jiu genuinely hadn't expected such overwhelming warmth. The Old Madam seemed to be an absolute social butterfly.
Throughout the meal, Wen Jiu's bowl was never once empty; food was piled high like a mountain. Only when she truly could not eat another bite did she say, "Grandmother, it's not as if I'm never coming back. If you keep feeding me like this, I won't be able to finish it, and I'm going to end up with indigestion."
"Oh, right, young girls like you have small appetites. But darling, let me tell you: you must eat your meals in large mouthfuls. We are people who have seen enough of the battlefield to know that as long as a person is well-fed, warmly clothed, and wakes up without worries, those are the best days possible. That proves there is no war. We spent over a decade—a full ten years—just to win days like these, just to let the common people of Dachao live lives free from displacement and shattered families. And yet, we still failed you, and failed your mother. Your brother at least enjoyed a life of wealth, while my precious child suffered every bitterness this world has to offer. In my lifetime, this old woman has fought in wars and killed countless men. I should..."
"Grandmother, you're overthinking it. For Dachao to have you is Dachao's blessing. The country comes before the family. Grandmother, I don't want to hear you say sorry to me or to Mother anymore. You are the pride of both Mother and me. When I go out from now on, I will walk with my head held high so I don't bring shame upon you. Let's not speak of this anymore, all right? It's all in the past, and the dead are gone. Besides, I never went back either, didn't I? Wouldn't that make me even more unfilial?"
"Who dares say you're unfilial? How old were you back then? My poor, precious child..."
"We really shouldn't let your maternal grandmother drink wine. Every time she drinks, she gets like this." The Old General was grieving inwardly as well; every time he shared a quiet drink with his wife, it ended with her in tears. Drinking had simply become a habit for her...
"Grandfather, you're grieving too. Jiu'er is back now and can stay by your sides constantly. I'm even going to pester you both to tell me stories."
"I'm not grieving..." The Old General's tear-rimmed eyes betrayed him, but Wen Jiu chose not to expose the lie.
"Grandmother, go back and take a nap for a while. Be careful you don't get a headache tonight."
"I'm not going."
"Grandmother, I'm not leaving. I still have to wait for my uncles to come back so I can shake them down for gifts."
"Good, good, good. That's right, shake them down for gifts! After more than ten years, not a single one of them is getting off easy. I'll go rest my eyes for a little while, and you should go sleep for a bit too. I'll have the servants tidy up your mother's courtyard for you."
"All right, Grandmother. Go rest first, and I'll chat with Grandfather a little longer."